Insulator top clamp

ABSTRACT

An insulator top clamp for connecting a cable to the top of an insulator having a cable-receiving channel with a lip at one end with means for attaching the clamp to the insulator for pivotal movement at that end and a jaw member at the remaining end for connecting the cable to the clamp.

p for connecting a cable to t hmm .Rn w b hmP n m nmma u I hPwu T n fl.WCM m nBd w [56] Relerences Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS 1437.299 4/l969Lindsey... .0 i. 2.026.260 'l2/l935 Tarbox...

FOREIGN PATENTS 3l3,739 l/l934 ltaly... Y. 952,163 3/l964 Great Britain.860,794 l/l97l Canada 29,072 6/1966 Japan Primary E.\'aminer--ChancellorE. Harris Allarney-Kane. Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan and Kurucz ABSTRACT:An insulator top clam the top of an insulator having 21 ca Inventor CarlB. Nordstrom Kingston, N.Y. Appl. No. 46,251

June 15, 1970 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 Fargo Mtg. Company, Inc.Poughkeepsle, N.Y.

INSULATOR TOP CLAMP 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 248/74 R, 174/169 Int. Fl6l 3/10 248/74. 63,

United States Patent [22] Filed [73] Assignee lip at one end with meansfor attachin later for pivotal movement at that en the remaining end forconnecting the cable to .EEEEHEW 62, 6|, 66. 64; 24/135 N; l'74/l 50.I69

PATENTEDNMOBII 3.623587 sum 1 or 2 ATTORNEYS INSULATOR TOP CLAMPBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In electrical powerline work, it frequentlybecomes necessary to connect a cable to a vertically projectinginsulator on the top of the type found on crossarms of a pole. For thispurpose, insulator top clamps are utilized and these clamps in order tobe useful must be easy to manipulate and provide ease with which toinsert the cable and fasten the same to the clamp. Additionally, it isnecessary that there be room for marginal relative movement of thevarious parts so that high accuracy is not required. Provision must alsobe made that the connection can be made by means of a bolt of the typehaving a hex head or by means of an eyebolt depending upon the desiresof the lineman. The construction must be simple and rugged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An insulating top clamp including, incombination, an elongated body having a U-shaped channel formed thereinthroughout its length, first and second lips formed on the ends of thechannels, each of the lips providing a depressed base with a widenedsidewall, means for attaching the clamp to an insulator with the channelfacing upwardly at one end of the clamp with the connection allowingpivotal movement of the clamp in a vertical plane, and means forproviding easy fastening of the cable to the clamp.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of an insulator top clampconstructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal view of the clamp shown in FIG. 1 in assembledcondition with a cable maintained therein;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the clamp shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 4in thedirection of the arrows in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The insulator top clamp of thepresent invention consists of an elongated body which is formed with anupwardly facing U"-channel 12 which terminates at either end in a lipproviding a depressed base of the U"-channel and channel sidewalls ofincreased or widened spacing. Hence, in the figure, lip 14 having adepressed base of the channel 140 and sidewalls 14b is formed at one endof the body while lip 16 having a base 16a and sidewalls 16b is formedat the remaining end of the body. The lip 14 occupies a greater portionof the body than lip 16. For instance, the depressed base 14a isinclined and greater in length than the depressed base [6a. In eachinstance, the walls are formed to begin to provide the increased spacingin a gradual manner at the point whereat the base begins its incline.Turret members 18 and 20 project transversely from body 10. The turretmembers project from walls 14b of lip 14. Each of the turrets iscylindrical in form with a concentric slot providing a female connectionfor joining with a complementary male projection formed on an insulator(not shown) to provide a pivotal connection for movement in a verticalplane. Hence, turret 18 is provided with female slot and turret 20 isprovided with female slot 204. It is noted that the axis of the turretsforms the pivotal axis for movement in the vertical plane and that thisaxis passes substantially through a cable 22 disposed within channel 12.

A vertical guide channel 24 is provided within which jaw member 26 canmove upon rotation of hex head bolt 28 which passes through opening 30in the base of channel 24 to engage threaded insert 32 of the jawmember. The jaw member 32 overlies a portion of channel 12 adjacent lip16, and the means for moving the jaw me'mber toward and away from thebody which includes the bolt means 28 is disposed to one side of thechannel so that there is unobstructed access to the channel from theside thereof indicated by the numeral 34. Grommet 35 is provided to holdthe male member 26 up out of the way while installing conductor 22. Inthe absence of the grommet,

in the position normally used, gravity would hold this male member inthe closed position, unless held up either by hand or a hot stick ofithe socket wrench, with which the lineman is manipulating the clamp, anyof which would be awkward.

With this arrangement, the lineman has at all times unobstructed accessto the channel without disassembly of any parts other than the looseningof bolt 28, and in view of the allowance of movement in a vertical planeabout the turrets, the positioning is not critical. Additionally, thehex head bolt can be replaced by an eyebolt wherever it is desired.Also, in the preferred form of the embodiment, the end of bolt 28 ispeened after assembly so that the lineman in manipulating the assemblywill not be able to inadvertently separate the jaw member from bolt 28.

Iclaim:

1. An insulator top clamp including, in combination, an elongated bodyhaving a U"-channel formed therein throughout its length, first andsecond ends of said U"-channel, first and second lips respectivelyfonned on said first and second ends, each of said lips providing adepressed base of said channel with widened sidewalls, said first lipoccupying a greater portion of said body than said second lip,transverse turrets projecting from said body at said first lip, saidturrets

1. An insulator top clamp including, in combination, an elongated bodyhaving a ''''U''''-channel formed therein throughout its length, firstand second ends of said ''''U''''-channel, first and second lipsrespectively formed on said first and second ends, each of said lipsproviding a depressed base of said channel with widened sidewalls, saidfirst lip occupying a greater portion of said body than said second lip,transverse turrets projecting from said body at said first lip, saidturrets having cylindrical surfaces formed to cooperate withcomplementary surfaces of said insulator allowing pivotal movement ofsaid body in a vertical plane with said channel facing upwardly, acooperating jaw member overlying a portion of said channel, and meansfor moving said jaw member toward and away from said body, same meansallowing unobstructed access to said channel from the side thereof. 2.An insulator top clamp in accordance with claim 1 in which said jawmember is adjacent said second lip.